Beauty and the Opera, or The Phantom Beast

Title:	Beauty and the Opera, or The Phantom Beast
Creator:	Suzy McKee Charnas
Date(s):	1996
Medium:	print
Fandom:	Phantom of the Opera
Language:	English
External Links:
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Beauty and the Opera, or The Phantom Beast is a Phantom of the Opera story by Suzy McKee Charnas.

It was originally to have been excerpted in the proposed fanzine, "Whispers from Box Five," a publication that never got off the ground.

The story itself, however, was published in the March 1996 issue of Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine.

Readings at Cons and Bookstores

“Beauty and the Opera" has been read aloud by its author at science fiction and scholarly conventions and at reading sessions in bookstores to very gratifying effect. The next live reading will be at the Other Change of Hobbit Bookstore in Berkeley, California, on January 20, 1996, from 2 pm to 4pm (2020 Shattuck Ave, tel. 510-848-0413). “Beauty and the Opera" will also be the subject of two scholarly papers to be presented in a session devoted to this novella at the International Conference on the Fantastic in the Arts at Fort Lauderdale March 20-24, 1996.

Suzy McKee Charnas is the author of a number of novels and I strongly recommend “Beauty and the Opera" to anyone who enjoys Phantom fiction. You should be able to order Isaac Asimov’s SF Magazine from places like Forbidden Planet in London.

Fan Comments

Unknown Date

I have to admit that I (personally) completely disliked this novella.

I spent a great deal of time in search of this story, as you may have read on the previous page... but as soon as I began it I knew something was not RIGHT about it. Based on the premise that Christine marries Erik and stays with him, it promised to be the epitome of the perfect romantic Phantom. But by the time I reached the ending, I could hardly believe what I had just read. My first reaction was to say to myself, "That was perfectly AWFUL." I was most upset because this story had been at the top of the list of Phantoms that I was dying to read ever since I heard about it this fall. Following are some of the many reasons I greatly disliked this novella.

First of all, I really took offense at Charnas's unforgiveably brutal writing style. One of the first thing she does is, narrating as Christine, make harsh and derogatory comments about "Mr. Leroux's novel". I don't mind writers taking liberties with the tale, but I do object to direct criticism of Leroux's novel - all we have to go on for the truth behind the legend!

As I continued to read, I also developed a great dislike for the characterizations. The narrator was nothing like the Christine Daae *I* know, especially in her style of speaking. She is very callous and, in my opinion, utterly devoid of any feeling at all when she describes how she chooses to marry Erik to save Raoul. This is only the beginning of very un-Christine-like behavior, since frankly, I think Christine would be far to silly and naive to think up such an outlandish bargain as the one she offers Erik- to stay and be his lover and his songbird for five years, whereupon he must release her. I can't imagine Christine being so cold; childish, yes- foolish, definitely! But not frigid.

As much as I disliked Charnas's Christine, I had an even bigger problem with her Erik. True to the phrase "the Phantom Beast", he was nothing like the proud and imperial Erik I like to envision; in fact, in one scene he even strikes Christine. I think that, because of his upbringing, Erik would have been too afraid to touch Christine in ANY manner without her express invitation- and surely he wouldn't want to harm her in any way! He also was horribly cruel, setting fire to poodles and going to see criminals gullotined for fun. I would think that Erik had seen enough violence in his life, and wouldn't want to be witness to carnage that didn't occur out of necessity and at his own hands.

But the biggest beef I had with this story is the fact that Charnas never has her Christine feel any affection for Erik, at least as far as I could tell. She invites him into her bed many times, but only because she "needs" it- not because she cares for him. She has Christine call Erik vile and disgusting names during what could have been the most romantic scenes of the novel. And even at the end, after Charnas kills Erik off, Christine says that no man could ever surpass him- but only as a lover and a maestro, nothing more. The complete lack of love between the two was very distressing to me. I enjoy romantic interpretations where Erik and Christine end up together, but there has to be some love there for it to work!

Of course, this is just my opinion, and maybe some readers would enjoy Charnas's work. Apparently some do, since this tale has gotten a lot of recognition. But I personally was very dissatisfied with Beauty and the Opera.

1996

“In M. Leroux’s story,” says Suzy McKee Charnas, “the Phantom's heart is melted by the compassion of the young singer. He releases the lovers and dies soon after... The soprano and her Vicomte take a train northward and are never heard of again... But this is not what happened...”

Based upon this premise, the novelette unfolds. Told in first person, it is Christine who speaks, explaining to the reader that Leroux (with whom she spoke much too freely) wrote his “nonsense” only loosely based upon the facts of her account. Thus Charnas, freed from the constraints of the original novel, weaves for us a tale, entirely new, a tale in winch Christine is no fool, a tale in which the darkest aspects of her relationship with the opera ghost come to light, a tale in which Leroux’s Erik and Lloyd Webber's phantom are somehow, successfully combined.

With a head like “an overripe melon,” her Erik is twice as nauseating and three-times as vicious as Leroux’s, regularly attending executions outside La Roquette and setting fire to small animals for fun. Still, his devotion to Christine is as extreme as it could be, his passion as magnificent, his music as inspired. Twenty years old and going on eternity, it is she who learns how to curb his violence, to orchestrate his moods, to give to him that which he most craves. For a term of five years, “no less and no more,” she agrees to become his wife with everything that such a role would entail) in exchange for the release of Raoul, whom he has captured. Throughout the course of the story however, it becomes apparent that there is much more at stake than Christine, in her haste to save her beloved, ever imagined. Profoundly disturbing and deeply moving, “Beauty and the Opera..." is not to be missed.

“Beauty and the Opera... ” appears in the March 1996 edition of Asimov's Science Fiction magazine which can be obtained by writing to Asimov’s Science Fiction P.O. Box 40, Vernon NJ 07462. USA. (Include SASE or SAE/IRC). Additionally, this novelette will be the subject of two scholarly papers to be presented at the International Conference on the Fantastic in the Arts at Fort Lauderdale. Florida. USA: March 20-24, 1996. Send e-mail to [email protected] for more information.

2008

This short story begins around the time that the counterweight of the chandelier falls, killing an audience member. The Phantom kidnaps Christine and takes her to live in his lair. She finds that Raoul is being held captive by the Phantom, who reveals to her that his name is Erik. She has a choice: marry Erik or Raoul dies. She presents Erik with a deal: he releases Raoul, she will remain with him for five years. He finally accepts.

The story depicts the life they lived during their five-year marriage (Erik insists they are married so as not to dishonor Christine’s name). It is a life that seems to take Christine aback, as it is not nearly what she believed it would be. They spent their days immersed in their music, and the nights tangled in the throes of passion.

As days turn to years, and the day of Christine’s departure draws closer, Erik becomes morose and sullen. At this point he becomes very ill, due to infections in his jaw. Christine nurses him to the best of her abilities. As Erik lays ill, he decides now is the time to talk to Christine of his final wishes. He asks that upon his death (which she will be informed of), he would like her to return to bury him, along with the ring he gave her (which had belonged to his mother) as well as his music. He also tells her of the triggers that will seal his home forever.

I loved this story. Perhaps it's because I am a romantic at heart, and believe that Erik truly loved Christine and would do anything for her. It is also not glossed over as a fluffy love story, as it includes the difficult and trying times they spend as a couple.

I found that Christine's character in this story is very dominant. Normally she is regarded as being dominated by Erik. Here she often displays a power over him. When he "misbehaves", she tells him, and is not very nice in doing so. Also, whenever he is without his mask, even during their lovemaking, she often makes derogatory comments, calling him disguting and a hideous beast.

We don't see much of Raoul in this story, simply the scene where Christine has to make her decision to marry Erik or Raoul dies.

This is where I melted two stories together in another thread. In this story, Erik is a murderer. He killed Joseph Buquet, and others. He enjoys going to the public guillotines to watch as people are executed. But, after life began with Christine, he began to change. He still had many of his dark, disturbing thoughts, but he also learned how to have control over his impulses. He is often very submissive to Christine, begging her forgiveness for some of his outbursts. He has now learned love, even though it isn't explicitly mentioned in the story, Christine does love him. He found out what it was like to have someone love him, touch him, caress him, something he had never even imagined in his life before Christine.

A little long winded, sorry, but I love the story. I think the author did a wonderful job in writing this. If you are able to read it, do, because it is worth the time.

[...]

I didn't really find that the characters were in character. We've already seen that Christine has become the dominant one, whereas Erik is now the submissive. Even though Erik is madly in love with Chrstine, and would do anything for her, I believe that he would have held onto his control. Maybe if the story had continued, this is how it would have gone, submitting completely to her for love?

What do I think of the story? Well, like I said, I loved it! I found that the writer showed a side of Erik (and Christine) that we've never seen. It shows that Erik is capable of shedding some of his disturbing ideals, and becoming more like a "regular" man. He learns to trust Christine, by allowing her to venture out in the streets (though according to the story, he does follow her at times). He now knows love, given and received. The things that made his so disturbed are being chipped away, and revealing the man he could be. He could be sensitive, trusting and loving. He was just never given the chance before this!